Quebec Immigration News

Quebec EOI: Quebec has released new information on how candidates in its new skilled worker Expression of Interest will be organized and ranked.

With consideration being given to US work experience, Quebec EOI system has become the first immigration system in the world that ranks candidates according to their American work among other factors.

Candidates who submit a profile to QSWP’s new Expression of Interest Bank will be classed in two groups — one group for candidates with a job offer or who are living in Quebec and meet specific criteria, and another for candidates living outside of Quebec.

The first group is for candidates who:

1. have a job offer in Quebec; OR

2. are residing in Quebec with the principal goal of working and

3. have a work permit and an eligible degree from a Quebec educational institution; OR

4. have a work permit that is valid for 12 months or more, six-months of full-time work experience and are currently working full-time.

These 7 criteria will be the basis of scores obtained by this first group:

1. Age

2. Quebec diploma

3. Canadian or U.S. work experience

4. Proficiency in French

5. Knowledge of other languages

6. Education

7. A spouse or common-law partner’s education and proficiency in French

Candidates in this group will also receive points for the following combinations:

1. Education combined with proficiency in French (either their own or, if applicable, their spouse’s — whichever score is highest);

2. Education combined with work experience in Canada or the US and proficiency in French;

3. Foreign work experience combined with proficiency in French;

4. Foreign work experience combined with work experience in Canada or the U.S. and proficiency in French

The second group of candidates are people who do not live in Quebec. Candidates in this group will be ranked based on scores obtained under the following eight factors:

1. Age

2. Quebec diploma

3. Canadian or U.S. work experience

4. Training that Quebec has listed as in-demand

5. Proficiency in French

6. Knowledge of other languages

7. Education

8. A spouse or common-law partner’s education and proficiency in French

Candidates in this second group will also receive points for thecombinations given above.

The province has not yet given out the details of the points structure for the various factors and skills combinations.

It is touted that the province’s CSQ could also issue invitations to the highest scoring candidates or based on selection criteria or certain priority conditions, which relate to a foreign national’s ability to successfully stay or settle in Quebec, such as training or a trade or occupation. Other criteria could include a specific region of destination in Québec, a country or region affected by a humanitarian crisis or the existence of an international commitment.

There are many similarities between Quebec’s Expression of Interest Bank and the federal Express Entry system, but there some very important differences too.

Like Quebec, candidates for all three classes managed by Express Entry are ranked based on core human capital factors and Skill Transferability combinations, with additional points awarded for a Canadian job offer, a provincial nomination, a sibling in Canada, Canadian education or French language proficiency.

Additional points range from 15 points to 600 points for a provincial nomination and help fast-track candidates for permanent residence.

For the moment, the ranking details outlined by Quebec do not include such additional factors. The new division of QSWP candidates into two groups depending on whether they have a Quebec job offer, education in Quebec or Quebec work experience could also have a similar fast-track effect.

Quebec Immigration News

New Quebec EOI system comes with promise to reduce processing time to less than a year

The new Expression of Interest (EOI) system will replace Quebec’s current first-come, first-served application process for its Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP).

Under the newly published regulations, which come into force on August 2, anyone interested in the QSWP will have to first submit an online Expression of Interest profile to Quebec’s Immigration Ministry (MIDI).

In a first move, anyone 18-years-old or older can submit a profile to QSWP’s Expression of Interest Bank. Profiles in the bank will receive a score based on factors including skilled work experience, education and training, proficiency in French or English, financial self-sufficiency, and others. All profiles will have to meet the minimum required score of two points in education (secondary school general diploma) and receive the one point that is awarded for financial self-sufficiency. The only new exception in the Quebec selection process is the presence of a validated job offer where initially only 10 points used to be awarded but now 14 points are given.

The Quebec Skilled Worker Program selection factors are

1. Education

2. Areas of training

3. Work experience

4. Age

5. Language proficiency

6. Stay and Family in Quebec

7. Spouse/common-law partner characteristics

8. Valid joboffer

9. Presence of accompanying children

10. Financial self-sufficiency

The second step entails that profiles must after the first step meet the required cut-off score of 43 points for a grouping of factors called Employability, which is based on a candidate’s score in education and training, work experience, age, language proficiency, time spent in Quebec and family in Quebec and a validated employment offer. A job offer is an added bonus but is not required in order to be eligible for the QSWP. The Employability cut-off score for candidates with a spouse or common-law partner is 52. In addition to the six factors above, the additional factor of a spouse’s education and training, work experience and language proficiency is also considered.

In the third step, candidates who meet the first two steps threshold must then meet the minimum threshold under a grouping of factors called Selection, which is a passing score of 50 points (59 with a spouse or common-law partner). This step takes into account the points awarded under the six factors considered for Employability, with the addition of children and the financial self-sufficiency. A spouse or common-law partner’s education and training, work experience and language proficiency is also applied in such cases.

It’s important to note that meeting the minimum threshold of 50 points under the Selection does not necessarily mean a candidate will be invited to apply for CSQ. Invitations may be issued to the highest scoring candidates, but incoming changes to Quebec’s Immigration Act state that other selection criteria or conditions may apply. Section 44 of the updated Act states that “criterion relating to a foreign national’s ability to successfully stay or settle in Quebec, such as training or a trade or occupation” may determine invitations. Other criteria may include “a region of destination in Québec, a country or region affected by a humanitarian crisis or the existence of an international commitment.”

Candidates who are invited to apply for a CSQ will have 3 months to submit their application.

Quebec Immigration News

Changes to Quebec Experience Class also coming

The province of Quebec has also opened its plans to bring changes to its other economic immigration programme, the Quebec Experience class or PEQ.

The PEQ is open to eligible candidates who have obtained an eligible diploma from a recognized Quebec school in the recent past or have at least 1 year of skilled work experience in the province in the last 2 years and are currently employed full-time in Quebec.

Till now under the existing PEQ requirements, candidates were required to have work experience in occupations designated Skill Type O, Skill Level A or Skill Level B under Canada’s National Occupational Classification (NOC).

This essential requirement has now been removed, paving the way for candidates in occupations designated Skill Level C and Skill Level D also. Applicants who are eligible under these NOC skill categories may now be eligible to apply for CSQ through the Quebec Experience Program.

In another key change to the PEQ, Quebec will now allow accompanying spouses and common-law partners of eligible candidates who are working in Quebec on open work permits to present themselves as the principal applicants on CSQ applications.

Whereas immigration to other Canadian provinces and territories is managed jointly with Canada’s federal government, Quebec’s immigration system is largely independent and only relies on the Government of Canada to approve the candidates it selects for temporary or permanent residence.

How the PEQ works:

1. Foreign Students

Foreign students in Quebec are eligible to apply under this program if they meet the following requirements:

> The student must have obtained a degree or diploma from an educational institution recognized by the Quebec Ministry of Education within the past 36 months;

> The student must have studied in Quebec for at least 1,800 hours (two years); and

> The student must show that he or she has successfully completed an advanced intermediate level French course at a Quebec educational institution, if his or her studies were not completed in French,or prove French ability by way of a standardized language test recognized by the government of Quebec.

2. Temporary Foreign Workers

> Temporary Foreign Workers in Quebec are eligible to apply under this program if they meet the following requirements:

> The worker must have 1 year of work experience in Quebec in a skilled, managerial, or professional occupation in the last 2 years prior to submission of the application;

> The worker must be employed and show legal status in Quebec at the time of his or her application; and

> The worker must show that he or she has successfully completed an advanced intermediate level French course at a Quebec educational institution, if his or her studies were not completed in French, or prove French ability by way of a standardized language test recognized by the government of Quebec. Alternatively, he or she can show that he or she has satisfied the French language requirements of the professional order governing his or her occupation in Quebec.